Thursday, February 02, 2017

Grand Restaging for the 60th Anniversary of Noli Me Tangere, the Opera

Almost
every Filipino knows Noli Me Tangere,
the 1887 novel in Spanish by Jose Rizal, the most known and respected of
Filipino writer and revolutionary. Translated into Filipino, it has been
required reading in all Philippine high schools.

The
novel exposes the abuses of Spanish authorities on the natives during the
Spanish occupation of the Philippines. The abuses and corruption are seen as a
disease of the society, thus the title, Latin for “touch me not.” Noli Me Tangere follows the story of
Juan Crisostomo Ibarra upon his return to the Philippines after finishing
studies in Europe, who plans to open up a school and marry Maria Clara. He
would clash with the corrupt parish priest Padre Damaso, who is out to thwart
his plans.

Noli Me Tangere has also inspired many great Filipino
artists to recreate it other forms including the 1961 film by National Artist
for cinema Gerardo de León, and the 1992 television series by National Artist
for film Eddie Romero. There are also several adaptations for the stage,
including the 1980 Kanser by Jomar
Fleras; the 1995 musical with libretto by National Artist for literature
Bienvenido Lumbera and music by Ryan Cayabyab; and Noli at Fili: Dekada 2000 in 2008, which transports the story into
a contemporary setting by Nicanor G. Tiongson.

But
a stage adaptation that is most acclaimed but seldom mounted is the 1957
three-act opera with libretto by
National Artist for visual arts Guillermo Tolentino and music by National
Artist for music Felipe Padilla de Leon. This year marks the sixtieth
anniversary of Noli Me Tangere, the opera, celebrated with a grand restaging at
the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

“We’re
glad to welcome back Noli Me Tangere,
the opera, to the CCP main stage after 30 years since Fides Cuyugan-Asensio’s
Music Theater Foundation staged it in 1987. Theater-goers and music lovers
shouldn’t miss this rare musical experience; it’s every Filipino’s story set to
one of Felipe de Leon’s finest scores,” said Dr. Raul Sunico, CCP president.

He
described is as “one of our gems in Philippine opera” and added that “some of
the issues are still relevant to us like corruption, injustice, deceit, etc.”
He also revealed that this restaging is the grandest in the history of the CCP.

Noli Me Tangere, the opera, is the Philippines’ first
full-length opera, arranged in the Western operatic tradition with overflow
passages reminiscent of Mozart, Puccini and Wagner, and sung in Tagalog.
According to New York-based dramaturg Randy Gener, the opera was, however, “not
the first Filipino opera ever written. That honor belongs to Sandugong Panaguinip, a 1902 work with a
Spanish libretto by Pedro Paterno, which was translated into Tagalog by Roman
Reyes, and music by Ladislao Bonus. Sandugong
Panaguinip was a one-act opera made up of five scenes, while De Leon’s Noli
opera was written in three acts, making it the country’s first full-length
grand opera.”

De
Leon, who is famous for the songs “Payapang
Daigdig” and “Sarong Banggi,” and
sculptor Tolentino are said to be obsessed by Noli Me Tangere that they were bent on finishing an opera
adaptation. In 1957, their work premiered at the Far Eastern University. Its
CCP debut was held in 1987. Dulaang UP of the University of the Philippines
staged it in 2011. In 2012, the centennial of the birth of Felipe Padilla De
Leon, the opera was shown in Chicago, USA. Filipino-American philanthropist and
socio-civic leader Loida Nicolas Lewis brought it to New York with the help of
New York-based event designer Jerry Sibal and Edwin Josue, and then to
Washington D.C.. The three then brought it home to the Philippines in 2014 with
a staging at the Newport Theater of Resorts World Manila in Pasay.

Sibal
and his husband Josue is behind J&S Productions Inc. which is partnering
with the CCP for the 2017 restaging of Noli
Me Tangere, the opera, which has a reported budget of about P30 million,
grand sets designed by Sibal himself and newly formed 53-piece symphony
orchestra to be conducted by Herminigildo Ranera. It will also feature more
than 200 opera singers, musicians and crew, and 16 scene changes, all under the
direction of Sibal himself.

“We’d
like to instill in the youth that nationalism is very important. We’re very
educated, talented, and skillful. The only problem we’re facing right now is
the love of country,” explained Sibal. “We’d also like to create more
appreciation of the opera art form. The opera is highest form of art because it
has architecture, literature, theater, and classical music combined together.
The beauty of Noli Me Tangere, the opera
lies in its use of our own language, Tagalog, and the Filipino love song kundiman combined with Western opera
influences.”

Sibal
and Josue are targeting the Millennials for this opera. “It’s our legacy to
them. As immigrants, we want to give back.”

“This
is about giving hope to everybody, giving opportunities like how the United
States gave us opportunities,” Sibal said.

Noli
Me Tangere the opera, which is now considered the most staged Filipino opera,
has a limited run of six performances at the CCP’s Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
from January 28, 2017, (gala premiere) to February 3.

Shows
on January 28 and February 1 to 3 are at 8 P.M. while the January 29 and
February 3 shows are at 2 P.M.

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About Me

ROEL HOANG MANIPON
How do I begin? There's not much but then there's so much. But it must begin somewhere, so here it goes: I will begin with something "mundane" (but really not mundane; they're all cosmic to me. These are what I do, and thus a big part of what I am: a journalist, poet, fictionist, essayist, cultural researcher, travel writer, publication designer, sometime painter, amateur photographer, translator, strip dancer, masseur, model and a natural cook. Whoa! That sounds a lot. But really, not doing all at the same time, may two or three at the same time, but all them in me. And there are other things that I want to do or be, like being an astronaut, archaeologist, filmmaker, etc. I think one lifetime is not enough for me. Often I don't refer to them as simply jobs but passions. Oh, yeah, I'm forever a student too. Forever a boy.